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210°

LBP Moderation Remains Inscrutable, Unaccountable

Do not take this as precedent, that Kotaku is going to get involved in every level taken down on LittleBigPlanet. But the demise of Azure Palace seems newsworthy for a few reasons - one, it's well made (a little too fly-and-grab for me, but still a good level); two, there seems to be no apparent reason for it; and three, it's the big stink in any forum now discussing Media Molecule's heavy-handed moderation.

PirateThom6445d ago (Edited 6445d ago )

Seriously?

The Azure Palace is one of the best user created levels yet, it was created during the beta and is still widely played.

JD_Shadow6445d ago (Edited 6445d ago )

This is exactly what I WAS thinking this was: That some idiots on there are flagging things to be d!cks and MM isn't even looking into if the flagging is legit or not (exactly like what YouTube was doing with removing videos because of copyright. They weren't even investigating THERE, and MM caught that modding bug).

They really need to SERIOUSLY addressing this because there are an increasing number of people that are getting pissed off about it and it seems like all the outrage is falling of deaf ears (or ears that just don't give a sh!t).

EDIT: Just saw this was approved by the Mart. While I'm flattered, I don't want people to think that I hate LBP (I do and think that it is a GOTY candidate, so please don't make me guilty by association because some 360 fanboys will approve this because they think this is a way to make LBP burn or something, I'm not on their side by any means and my viewpoint of the Mart as a member of N4G remains the same. Basically, HIS reason for approving it is not the same as MY reason was for submitting it).

Also, remember this IS Kotaku (home of the 360 fanboyish news that may or may not be accurate) and I'm probably going to check this out myself because I hearted this level and will see. However, hopefully this raises awareness to what they should change nonetheless.

But again, I don't want people approving this for the same reason they rated the game down on metacritic.

PirateThom6445d ago

I think you're right.

Media Molecule is a small company and I think their view of moderation is if it's reported, they remove it.

Frankly, they need more moderators or something.

thor6445d ago

You can post a sticker of something "inappropriate", report it with the "Good Grief" tool, and if MM don't check out the level itself, they could see that and then remove the level. The lack of communication is what really annoys me. If he'd been told, and then had some sort of appeal procedure, that would be more fair.

CEO OF N4G6445d ago (Edited 6445d ago )

LBP was hyped up to the limit and since it has come out it is not havin the impact most people tought it will have.Bad online(i think its fixed) sales are not that great(u would expect it to sell alot more even tho it was delayed and thats the truth) and now levels getting deleted......

I just hope sony dose not mess up killzone2 when it comes out,that is the gamE im waitin for.LBP is not my type of game, i dont know why most people tought every one fell for a cute puppet.Well not me!!!....LBP is not getting my £40.KILLZONE2,GOD OF WAR3,UNCHARTED2,RESISTANCE2 AND M.A.G will all get my £40 but not LBP.

ultimolu6445d ago (Edited 6445d ago )

Someone is reporting these levels for the sake of it to ruin the game. Something malicious is going on and MM needs to get to the bottom of this or this game will be destroyed.

I love this game, but if this keeps up I'm gonna give up my copy.

Bodhi6445d ago

Wow, after playing this game at my friends, the best levels in the game are the ones online. Such as this one, if more of these get removed, I see no point of LBP. The entire concept of LBP is to create, share, play. Not create, share, remove.

callahan096445d ago

In my opinion, the grief just needs to correspond to a level of maturity. If there is nudity, language, violence/blood, whatever, in the level, then let the grief ratings reflect this and contribute to a maturity score. Parents can then pre-set what is the maximum maturity-score a level can have in order for their kids to play on it. Just like the PS3 console has levels of appropriateness for all games and the parents can set a password-protected maximum level so kids can't play inappropriate content that the parents don't approve of... they can do the same thing for levels in LittleBigPlanet. That way if I want to create something more mature that reflects my own creativity, it isn't out-right banned, but merely restricted from others.

The only levels they should be deleting are those containing copyrighted materials and those that are made improperly that cannot be beaten or are designed to freeze the game (I've seen such levels). Get rid of those, that's understandable, but all content should be screened when "griefed" not just indescriminately eliminated.

Shadow Flare6445d ago

This is ridiculous. Azure Palace was in my mind among the best levels i've played on lbp. The style, level design and polish it has is amazing. There's NO reason for it to be deleted. As great the game is, media molecule is handling the online really badly. The 'Cool levels' page is full of CRAP that doesn't represent how good LBP can be. It's full of "Get Trophies here!!!" levels and "World's Fastest Sackboy" BS. Yet some of the best levels i have played have a stupidly low hit/heart rating, while stupid crap levels that contain ONE lump of wood with a rocket receive 300,000 hits (and 8000 hearts?!?). It's messed up. I created a much lesser known level called "illumina garden" and i don't find the way the online is being handled very encouraging. I could spend 2 weeks on a level for it to get:

a) Very few hits
or
b) Moderated / Deleted

It hardly makes me want to create anymore levels and i'm sure other gamers feel the same. Sort it out Mm. Get Azure Palace back up as well. I don't care what anyone else does but im not publishing anything else till this is fixed. I completely understand how much this hacks off Azure's Palace's creator

swissarmyshank6445d ago

Guys remember, Sony mods the levels not MM. I really don't think that MM would take the same stance as Sony when it comes to taking down levels. They created this game with the intent to have great levels created and published for the community. They wouldn't just swing their ban hammer at any level that was reported by someone. Sony, on the other hand, probably doesn't care whether a level gets banned as long as the game keeps selling.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 6445d ago
Dragunov6445d ago

So you prefer to play with macho marines with cheesy talking? Wow, you're so mature and manly

The Matrix6445d ago

To be honest Sony has the right to do whatever they want. We'll just have to deal with it and not make levels that might be offensive/racist/inappropriate until Sony gets a handle on the situation.

skillshot6445d ago

@ The Matrix...

Stupid reply. Dictators in countries have the right to do what they like. It doesn't mean it shouldnt be argued.

Shadow Flare6445d ago

Thats the kind of reply from a person who hasn't spent alot of time creating a lbp level. I can tell you straight off, Azure Palace must have taken around 2/3 weeks+ to make, FULL of a headache of problems to fix. The end sea monster must have taken a good few days to make. Then there was all the artistic styling of the level. Then bug testing to make sure everything works everytime. A level like Azure Palace is ALOT OF WORK. Which is why the creator is so understandably pissed off. And there is nothing that should be of concern for moderation in that level. So thats why your reply sounds so stupid. Because basically, you've no idea the work that goes into these levels. The moderation system as it is is a complete joke. Sony are wrong to moderate this fiercely

The Matrix6445d ago

And you shouldn't have to worry about your creations being destroyed if you're not making offensive levels. It's the idiots making penis's, racist levels and 9-11 replicas that are going to get their levels moderated.

thereapersson6445d ago

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

This isn't even NEAR OFFENSIVE. This level doesn't even contain any copyrighted material, nor does it borrow from any outside published work. Azure Palace is one of the best user created levels to ever exist, and to have this happen is a gross oversight one someone's part when it comes to dealing with moderation.

Jesus Christ, do you even pay attention to what you are commenting on? At least watch the video, for crying out loud!

Armyless6445d ago

And Matrix's comments are the height of ignorance.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 6445d ago
CEO OF N4G6445d ago

Dragunov

For ur info i dont have a 360 so dont think im a 360 fan boy trying to be funny(read my profile).....

Not all gamers follow hype and forget what they like.From day one i have always said LBP is not the type of game for me even tho it is packed with innovation.Yes the game will be loads of fun to otheres but not me.I am more of a FPS,ACTION ADVENTURE,RACER GAMER...not one who has time to create a level then post it up E.T.C

And yes i will be buying a 360 for christmas to sit along side my ps3.For all of u who think gears2 is chessy talking with macho men are the ones who are immatuer,gears2 is fun and im buying it.I dot care if u ps3 fanboys take my bubble;Im buying a 360 for christmas and u cant stop me.

PS360 FTW....The WII can kiss my a$$

CEO OF N4G6445d ago (Edited 6445d ago )

No one is reporting nothing.For some reason MM is taking down levels.Only GOD knows y!!!!!well all of u who bough LBP should have fun creating levels....

While i play killzone2 beta... :)

MOUHAHAHAHAHA :D

JD_Shadow6445d ago (Edited 6445d ago )

Since you never played the game, obviously, let me inform you of what exactly HOW a level gets reported:

1. Someone pressed "Select" during a level which brings up a "Good Grief" menu.
2. They then can give they reason why they think that the level is inappropriate and is given a set of tags to say why.
3. They submit it.

That's it. That's what amounts to "flagging" a level, something you obviously can't grasp (and don't try to say that you were being even remotely joking about your attitude about this. It's not only irritating and untrue, it's not funny in the slightest). MM is obviously the ones that are removing the levels because the users can't do that (only flag them), because if they don't, who is going to? They just don't investigate the levels themselves before they pull that trigger, as you have seen.

Part of me thinks this is something that is REALLY devious on the part of some people that I think it could be that are flagging these things because they KNOW it might ruin things and are taking advantage of how little MM doesn't even investigate the levels themselves (or WHO is flagging them). I won't say who because I'll start a HUGE firestorm if I say what I thought it could be just about 5-10 minutes ago, and if it is, then I'll really be dressed down here...either that or there'll be something HUGE being blown open by me, so I'll wait until I know people will want to hear my conspiracy theorist-type reasoning. That and if it would be even remotely possible that a certain group of people would be able to do something like that, then it would be absolutely disgusting and a new low on SO many levels.

ultimolu6445d ago

That's exactly what I think is going on darkpower and if MM doesn't do something about this, it will ruin the game for others.

cliffbo6445d ago

actually it's Sony that are moderating it. this does need to be sorted out though, i agree. i would give the game a try if i were you... maybe you know someone that has it? seriously, i have friends that saw me playing LBP and laughed at it simply because of the childlike presentation, but after a while ALL of them changed their minds and wanted to play more. give it a go

Raz6445d ago

@ darkpower:

What conspiracy, exactly? Are 360 fanboys going to go out and spend $700+ on PS3s and copies of LBP just to mess it up online in some militant Metacritic-type attack?

..silly. Assuming that's what you mean. If there's any douchebaggery going on, it originates from certain PS3 owners and finishes in the hands of totalitarian Sony moderators.

Speaking of which, I'm going to go to Sony's blog and complain right now. Who's with me? Let's flood the buggers with negative comments and emails until they relent and give us back the Azure Palace and our creative freedom!

Armyless6445d ago

Immature idiots are flagging good levels out of jealousy, and to increase the "chances" that their absolute crap levels get more play.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 6445d ago
MaximusPrime6445d ago

LittleBigPlanet is still the best game of the year

Show all comments (59)
210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

Read Full Story >>
eurogamer.net
XiNatsuDragnel792d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga791d ago (Edited 791d ago )

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow792d ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo182791d ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie791d ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow791d ago (Edited 791d ago )

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

790d ago
Hereandthere790d ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 790d ago
Notellin790d ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

790d ago
Hereandthere790d ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

ApocalypseShadow790d ago

Lying to yourself is unbecoming.

Article link tells you all you need to know in Sarah Bond's own words.

Hereandthere790d ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

ApocalypseShadow790d ago

At least you and others get it. Note drank the Kool aid and asked for seconds thinking it was refreshing.

Most don't even know how it all played out but it's there in black and white for all to see. Microsoft brought it up for years until the MLB forced Sony's hand. It was a win win for Microsoft. Kill one reason to buy a PlayStation or kill the game by dropping it in a cheap service to kill Sony's sales numbers on PlayStation.

OtterX791d ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

Cockney789d ago

They chose well, Sony gave them the backing to pursue their dreams with no restrictions even tho their games especially dreams have very niche appeal. Media molecule and Sony deserve respect for this in an age of risk averse publishing.

RNTody791d ago (Edited 791d ago )

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno791d ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Sheppard2791d ago

How did Sony kill the series?

Inverno791d ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

790d ago
fsfsxii790d ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno790d ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

Show all comments (29)
320°

Most Offensive Video Games That Would Never Cut It Today

Times are changing, and these games would have never been made in today's climate.

Read Full Story >>
wealthofgeeks.com
thorstein844d ago (Edited 844d ago )

Every single time someone uses this phrase whether it's music, movies, books, comics, video games, etc it's always the same claim.

The ubiquitous "they" won't allow it to be made. And every decade these claims are made the claimant completely ignores all the "offensive" material that is published when the claim is made.

In ten years, you can write a new article about how you can't make games like Helldivers 2, Resident Evil VIII, Mortal Kombat I, Dragon's Dogma 2, Alan Wake 2 etc etc etc any more.

MrBaskerville843d ago

Yeah, people wouldn't be constantly outraged if there weren't games that people found enraging. The whole SBI discourse shit wouldn't be a thing if all games were inoffensive. A game like Starfield can make a guy froth at his mouth, so there will always be room for a list like this.

0hMyGandhi843d ago

Normally, I'd be inclined to agree with you, but there are massive caveats.
TV shows like Venture Bros, Ren and Stimpy, and Aqua Team wouldn't/couldn't be made today. Hell, Ren and Stimpy was a *children's* show, same thing with Rocko's Modern Life.

It's not for some arbitrary reason, either. It's branding and IP alignment. Companies are far more risk-averse than they were when I was kid in the 90's. Of course, you have companies coming out of the woodwork to hell spur on similar content, but remember: Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon and some incredibly provocative material.

And for movies? it's pretty obvious. American Pie/Wedding Crashers/Eurotrip among many other "raunch coms" have fallen out of style, and are absolutely outside what the modern day film industry is willing to stand by.
Ace Ventura 1 and 2, Dumb and Dumber, Freddy Got Fingered, Rat Race, Harold and Kumar, and Van Wilder follow suit.

Remember: I am not explicitly talking about films put onto streamers. I am talking wide-releases in actual theaters. Same thing goes for games: Carmageddon, Duke Nukem, Manhunt, Six Days In Fallujah (with their original concept), Hatred, and so on and so forth. Of course, I'd be inclined to mention most tactical shooters like Rainbow Six and Joint Ops as well, due to cultural sensitivity regarding *who* you are shooting and why.

And not all of it is bad (obviously). Tastes change, and perspectives change to fit the demographic.
I should add that I'm a lefty, living in L.A. Working in film.

thorstein843d ago

The Boys, Invincible, Jojo Rabbit, Deadpool, Gen V, Last of Us, Banshee... There are plenty of media being made today that people will claim "can't be made today".

Profchaos843d ago

Yeah but if you consider manhunt which was basically a snuff film could you seriously make that game with high than PS2 era graphics.

thorstein843d ago

The Outlast Trials just came out.

But the storyline of Manhunt was that you were executed. But then lived. And if you didn't do as you were told, you'd die. And the people you killed were not innocents.

It was all filmed by a psychopath.

As we speak GTA VI is being finished up for a release. You get to play a Bonnie and Clyde type of protagonist who run up against the law.

Bodycam looks so real.

People are making those games. Articles like this will always exist no matter how incorrect they are, no matter how many times they blame "them" for whatever it is "they" do to prevent "those" games from being made.

ZycoFox843d ago

The UK is the biggest junk country pandering to that nonsense as well, with laws against free speech and expression to match. It got so bad even Rowan Atkinson made a video on free speech about it.

Now the UK raises the age rating on harmless films like Mary Poppins, it's just a load of pansy weak ass nonsense.

MrDead843d ago (Edited 843d ago )

The right wing Tories have been in power in the UK for the 14 years you know the ones that are "anti-woke", blame them for your perceptions.

Killer2020UK843d ago (Edited 843d ago )

Are these snowflakes in the room with us now?

This is more faux outrage designed to get hits. The consequences are unfortunately creating hysteria amongst those willing to buy into it and blame "them" or "the left" or "liberals" meanwhile the left are kicking off about genocide, actual real world abhorrent acts. Nobody is campaigning to censor this shit.

Huey_My_D_Long843d ago

Not too mention the fact that some of these game are controversial for you know, underage porn and encouraging rape.

So either the guy just came in to comment snowflakes without reading anything, or he is calling people snowflakes for having a problem with said titles. Crazy how much brain rot someone can have.

banger88844d ago

Dead Island: "The early PC version of the zombie game swapped the playable character Purna’s Gender Wars skill with a prototype name, which shouldn’t be mentioned directly. The skill name made fun of both Purna as a character and feminists."

"Feminist Whore" lmao

gold_drake844d ago

ill add one more to the list.
drakengard 1.

its ridiculous tho, especially since they'd still be able to find their place in alot of places in the world. except america of course ha. and maybe Australia.

ppl are so sensitive these days. ha. but it is what it is.

Barlos844d ago (Edited 844d ago )

They're not offensive.

And we need another Fat Princess. Fantastic little game!

Some people just have no sense of humour if this sort of thing offends them. They need to lighten up and stop taking themselves so seriously.

Deeeeznuuuts843d ago

Would love a new fat princess game 🤟

CantThinkOfAUsername843d ago

Games literally about sexual assault, mass genocide, bombing civilians, and school shooting. None of which is satirical.

isarai843d ago

Actually it's about fat princesses

Huey_My_D_Long843d ago (Edited 843d ago )

Its crazy that people are fixated on Fat princess when clearly the list is going over controversies, and not all of them are equal. Like way worse examples but pretend the entire list is like that.

Show all comments (37)
70°

Top 20 Best PlayStation 3 Games (20-11)

Alex DS. from Link Cable Gaming writes: "Is the PlayStation 3 retro? This is a surprisingly hard question to answer as the system definitely has the age to be considered retro, having launched in 2006, over 15 years ago now. But with it being home to so many massive games, many of which still hold up today and in fact were released for the PlayStation 4 when that console was released, make the PS3 a retro console that doesn’t feel retro."

Read Full Story >>
linkcablegaming.com
shinoff21831530d ago

No ps3 is not retro. I dont even consider ps2 era retro. All imo.

shinoff21831530d ago

Typically, the term retro is given to items which are at least 20 years old (but not yet 40 years old).

Quick google search

badz1491530d ago

No the PS3 is not yet a retro console. But if you're gonna put 1 game from a series in this list, then LBP2 should be there instead of the original, Motorstorm PR is also an overall better game than the 1st game and to put Tools of Destruction over A Crack in Time is a blasphemy when ACiT is the best game in the series.